Flashlight attachment for photographic cameras



Aug. 24, 1954 w STE|N 2,687,028

FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS Filed July 23, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l M INVENTOR- qy w 5 5 Aug. 24, 1954 w. STEIN FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1952 INVENTOR.

BY W Patented Aug. 24, 1954 FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS Wilhelm Stein, Wetzlar (Lahn), Germany, as-

signor to Ernst Leitz, G. in. b. H., a corporation of Germany Application July 23, 1952, Serial No. 300,372

Claims priority, application Germany September 4, 1951 This invention relates to improvements in flash attachments for photographic cameras. Such attachments generally consist of a holder which is detachably mounted upon the camera and the holder in turn supports a battery, lamp and reflector. The supporting element itself is arranged to support an Edison lamp with a screw threaded base or a push in lamp with a base provided with projecting pins which enter corresponding recesses in the lamp socket. Existing devices of this sort require a separate part to fit the type of lamp used. The separate part is then secured in the lamp support.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved flash attachment of the type referred to. The invention is embodied in a device which includes a reversible lamp connecting sleeve with coaxially arranged sockets at opposite ends adapted to receive two diiferent types of lamps. One end of the sleeve forms a socket for an Edison lamp, the other end of the sleeve forms a socket for a push-in lamp.

The device has the advantage that by the mere reversing of the lamp sleeve either one or the other lamp may be used. The carrying about of a separate part is done away with. The sleeve is .in known manner clamped to the battery housing and the lamps are likewise clamped to the sleeve by springs. When the springs are released by the pressing of suitable operating buttons, the lamps are released and automatically ejected. The holder referred to above is pivotally connected to the camera by a clamping screw so that the reflector may be adjusted for different distances of the object. This arrangement also facilitates transport of the device.

Accordingly the invention is embodied in a flash attachment as hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a camera with the flash attachment thereon, a portion of the reflector being removed.

Fig. 2 is wiring diagram.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view showing the upper part of the battery casing is section, and above it, the reversible socket sleeve with a push in lamp in position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view but shows the battery casing in side view, and above, it also in side view, the reversible socket sleeve with an Edison lamp in position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the socket sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 through the Edison socket in Fig. 5.

I 3 Claims. (Cl. 67-31) Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-! through the push-in socket in Fig. 5.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail sectional views of the means for securing the reversible socket sleeve to the neck of the battery housing, Figs. 8 and 9 being sectional views on the lines 8B and 9-9 of Fig. 10, respectively.

Fig. 1 illustrates a camera I upon which a flash holder is detachably mounted. The holder comprises the brackets 2 and 3. The latter are pivotally connected by a clamping screw 6. The bracket 2 may be detachably secured to the camera by the usual tripod connection, not shown.

Fig. '2 shows the electric flash circuit with a battery casing 4 and the wires I connecting the battery circuit with the flash synchronizing switch 8.

The battery casing 4, Figs. 3 and 4, has at its top a neck I0 adapted to receive the reversible socket sleeve II with a socket I2 for an Edison lamp and a socket I3 for a bayonet type lamp. Within the neck I0 there is a support I6 for a spring pressed axially movable contact I4 which is pressed normally outward by a spring I5. In the ends of the sleeve II are openings Iil, Figs. 6 and 7, through which the contact I4 projects into the sleeve. The Edison lamp socket I2 is secured upon the one tubular end [9 of the reversible sleeve II. The bayonet type socket is secured upon the opposite tubular end 22 of the sleeve as shown in Fig. 5.

The reversible sleeve II is secured to the battery casing by the following means. The neck I 0 has two diametrically oppositely located openings Ilia with open mouths Illb, Fig. 10. The

sleeve II contains a spring 26 with two buttons,

25, Figs. 5, 8 and 9, adapted to enter and be seated in the said openings Illa through the mouths Iflb. Each button has a stem 25a which can pass through the mouth Iflb into the opening. Each button also has a base 2% which fits the opening Illa.

In mounting the sleeve II within the battery casing neck It, the buttons 25 are pressed inwarde ly against the force of the spring 26. The button stems 25a then pass down into the openings Illa and by releasing the buttons they are pressed outward by the spring 26 and become fixed in the openings Illa thereby finally supporting the sleeve I I on the battery casing neck II].

The Edison socket I2, Figs. 5 and 6, is provided with a ring formed spring I8 having a straight portion I8a with a nose I813. The parts I8a and I81) project inwardly into the socket through an opening I9a in an inner guiding sleeve I9. The

spring carries buttons 2!]. The flat portion i811 and the nose 227 of the spring engage the screw thread on the base 9 of an Edison lamp when it is inserted in the socket i2 and thus secures the lamp in its socket. When the buttons are pressed inwardly, the spring 18 is flexed so that it becomes disengaged from the lamp. When the lamp is inserted into the socket and makes contact with the contact Hi, the spring I is collapsed. When the spring it releases the lamp from the socket, the spring [5 expands and ejects the lamp from the socket.

The bayonet lamp socket i3, Figs. 5 and 7, contains a ring formed spring 2! with a fiat portion 210; and a hole Zib projecting inwardly through an opening 22a in a guiding sleeve 22. The latter has a recess 22b diametrically opposite the hole 7 2H). When a bayonet lamp base 23 is inserted into the push-in socket [3, the usual pins 23a and 23b on the lamp base engage the hole 2H) in the spring 2! and the recess 22b directly opposite whereby the spring 2| is momentarily flexed outwardly and the lamp base 23 is then held in position by the spring 2|. By pressing inwardly upon a button the spring 2! is disengaged irom the lamp base 23 and the lamp is then ejected by the spring l5. The lamp base is secured in the socket i3 by a push in movement. The lamp is ejected when the spring is flexed outwardly by a pressure on the button 2%.

The connecting sleeve ii may be placed upon the battery casing with either one of the lamp sockets uppermost, Figs. 3 and a. In either position the sleeve is reversibly mounted by the aforesaid means described in connection with Figs. 8, 9 and 10. If an Edison lamp is to be used, the Edison socket I2 is uppermost. If a bayonet lamp is to be used the other socket i3 is uppermost. In either case the lamps are held in the sockets by the springs i8 or 2 i, respectively. When the buttons 2e are depressed, the Edison lamp is released and thereupon ejected by the spring l5. When the button 24 is depressed, the bayonet lamp is released and then likewise ejected. When the buttons 25 are depressed, the sleeve is released from the battery neck and may then be reversed.

The invention is susceptible of changes and modifications and all such changes and modifications are claimed as come within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A. flash attachment for photographic cameras in combination a battery casing, a spring pressed lamp ejector in said casing, a lamp supporting sleeve having a tubular portion at each end, a lamp socket supported in each of said tubular portions of said sleeve in coaxial alinement therein, means in each of said tubular portions and the socket therein for receiving and ejectably supporting a lamp therein, means in said sleeve and battery casing for detachably and reversibly supporting said sleeve upon said casing with one of the said tubular portions and the socket therein in position to receive the lamp to be inserted therein in automatic operative relation with said lamp ejector to eject the lamp after use.

2. A flash attachment for a photographic camera comprising a holder, a battery casing in said holder, an electric circuit in said casing including and exposed movable contact, a lamp supporting sleeve having a tubular portion at each end, a lamp socket supported in each of said tubular portions in coaxial alinement therewith, springs in said sockets for releasably retaining lamps in the sockets in automatic contact with said movable contact when lamps are inserted in the sockets, means in said sleeve and said battery casing for detachably and reversibly mounting the sleeve upon said battery casing whereby to support a lamp inserted in either of the said two lamp sockets in operative position upon the casing, buttons accessible from the outside to actuate the said socket springs to release the lamp in the socket and a spring for actuating said movable contact to cause the latter to eject the lamp from the socket when said buttons have been operated to release the lamp and means for detachably supporting said holder upon the camera.

3. A flash attachment for a photographic camera comprising a holder arranged for mounting upon the camera, a battery casing in said holder terminating in an exposed tubular neck, an electric circuit in said casing including an exposed movable contact within the said neck, a lamp supporting sleeve having a tubular portion at each end, a lamp socket in each of said sleeve tubular portions in coaxial alinement, spring pressed buttons in said sleeve and cooperating openings in said neck to receive said buttons for detachably and reversibly securing the sleeve upon said neck, a spring in each of said sockets for releasably retaining a lamp therein in automatic contact with said movable contact when a lamp is inserted in the socket with said sleeve secured in said neck, buttons accessible from the outside to actuate said socket springs to release the lamp from the socket and a'spring for actuating said movable contact to cause the latter to eject the lamp from the socket when said buttons have been operated to release the lamp and means for detachably supporting said holder upon the camera.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 2,233,146 Schwartz Feb. 25, 1941 2,343,552 Hollister Mar. '7, 1944 2,565,492 French Aug. 28, 1951 2,605,316 Grimsley July 29, 1952 

